WEEKEND POST 134

For four days last weekend we nestled into a cabin in the Pisgah National Forest. Each dawn broke with the sweet chorus of wood thrushes from high above in tall stands of American beech, tulip poplar and black gum trees. So dense were these and the emerald thickets of mountain laurel and rhododendron that only dapples of cool sunshine reached our faces.

Daily hikes took us on narrow, rough and rocky paths, through heavily-grown forests with wildflowers (and salamanders and the gnarliest of mushrooms!) in radiant pinks, whites, oranges and reds, over rocky terrain winding in and out and up from rushing waterfalls and icy mountain streams to panoramic overlooks along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Just once did we encounter misty rain and fog on a morning hike. It completely shrouded the view at the summit of Elk Knob, but it was still a wild, albeit gusty, spot to picnic lunch in the company of nectar-thirsty hummingbirds and puddle-bathing juncos.

Each vista and gorge was awash with those colors of early summer. Most notable, of course, are the muted gradations of blue that blend the sky and distant ranges. The Blue Ridge Mountains are remarkably unique and beautiful. We loved our hikes, but also exploring the little mountain towns to keep us hydrated and supply ingredients for our meals.

Equipped only with a hot plate, a charcoal grill and wood fire pit, our cabin made cooking interesting and memorable. Simple, leisurely eggy breakfasts + glasses of cold-brew from our growler of local Hatchet Coffee to kick-start. A couple mornings we splurged on Hatchet’s killer nitro-tap cold-brew, then advanced to more adult drafts with afternoon replenishment from AMB, Booneshine Brewing, and Blowing Rock Brewing.

After nearly four months of saying our goodnights from separate zip codes, we’re working a bit harder to really savor those moments spent in the same place. I especially needed this time together, detached as much as possible from ‘real life’ at home, a breather from the busyness. The only thing we wished for driving home was to turn the car back around for more.

New recipes are coming soon, I promise. For now, have a wonderful weekend, and don’t miss the new links below!

Cheers, Heather

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Some interesting, fun, delicious reads:

Who doesn’t love to throw down a blanket and eat outside? July is Picnic Month — make plans with your family or friends, and get creative with your meal and activities!

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4 comments

Beautiful writing and photos. Glad you were able to have a peaceful, yet adventurous time away. I pinned the Watermelon Gazpacho recipe and have placed a Buff on my wish list. Have a great week to come!

Peaceful and adventurous — exactly! A marvelous place to play, and I know you’d enjoy it, too. Can’t wait to try that gazpacho (let me know if you get to it first), and you’ll love your Buff! Thanks for the nice words :)

Glad you had such a wonderful long weekend! And in such a beautiful area. I have a Buff knock-off; I’ll have to try some of those tricks! And now we know why cops and donuts go together so well! Great post, great pics and great stories!

An incredible, much-needed escape from “real life” to recharge and reconnect, and we are so thankful to have had the opportunity to do it. We’d love to get back that way for the supposedly amazing autumn show the Blue Ridge Mountains put on! Thanks :)